Meeting
by outerelf
Summary: What if Red Alert and Inferno met while they were very young? This is just a little 'what if' fic


Ok, it's just a little 'What if' fic, such as if Red Alert and Inferno met as a sparkling and youngling, even if they didn't kn

Ok, it's just a little 'What if' fic, such as if Red Alert and Inferno met as a sparkling and youngling, even if they didn't know it…

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The entire city was in an uproar. A sparkling had disappeared from its creators while they had been visiting Remnacon. The acid that usually ran through the sewers had been shut off, and even now volunteers were being arranged to comb the underground for the tiny sparkling.

A youngling watched the mass panic with confusion. His mind was unable to grasp why such panic was going on, and he didn't care too much. Like a shadow he drifted past the crowd, and into the open sewer hole. If he wished to stay ahead of the adults, he would have to move fast.

0o0o0o0o0o0

The youngling moved confidently through the dark, at ease with the path that he had taken many times. His auditory receptors were alert for any slight movements, or anything that may warn him… His held tilted in confusion as he heard a soft whirling noise. Robo-rats chattered and clicked nearby, and a soft screech of pain went up. The youngling frowned, and made his way to the sound. There he was met with an unusual sight.

A tiny, bright red sparkling lay in the muck and mud of the sewers, being eaten alive by the robo-rats. The youngling wondered for a few moments how he was supposed to beat away the rats, but at his arrival, the rats scattered. The youngling glared after them, and bent to pick up the sparkling.

It clicked softly, a single tiny hand reaching out to touch the youngling's face. Surprised, the youngling dropped back a step. The sparkling frowned slightly, and made a slight whirling sound. The youngling shook his head and looked around. There was nothing to help carry the sparkling.

Slowly he bent, and heaved the sparkling into his arms. The sparkling twittered slightly at being treated so roughly, but quickly quieted down. The youngling thought out a plan that would take him to the surface, bypassing most of the mire and mud. The only problem was, was that the bat's might attack them. A soft buzzing sound attracted his attention, and he looked down. The sparkling was slowly falling into a deep recharge.

The youngling sighed in slight frustration, and decided to take a chance and go through the bats. It was the only level way to get to the surface. Otherwise he would have to go up ladders. Silently the youngling started off.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Huge gasps of air were recycled through the youngling's body as he stopped to take a rest. The youngling still recharged in his arms, but the youngling didn't much care. The sparkling was _heavy_. His knees trembled with the effort it took to keep standing, but not once did he think to abandon the sparkling.

As much as he didn't trust others, he couldn't bring himself to hate them, and as such, he helped those he saw in need however he could. The sparkling was depending on him to deliver him safely back to the surface. The youngling would do so if it was the last thing he did.

He was so busy breathing, he never noticed the bats that swarmed until it was nearly too late. When the first bat swooped down, the youngling pitched foreword, roughly jolting the sparkling, eliciting a startled chirp from the rudely awakened bot. It seemed about to cry, but never had a chance as the Youngling began running as fast as it's small legs could towards the surface.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Murmurs of awe filled the volunteer group. Optimus Prime, one of the leaders of all the Autobot's had decided to join. His brother and friend, Ironhide, had both backed out. Megatron to the point of not participating, but Ironhide agreed to comb the aboveground for any sign. Prime strode towards the Sewers, hoping that the sparkling would still be alive.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The youngling knew he was in bad shape. He had been bitten various times by both bats and rats, and the energon as of yet, hadn't stopped flowing. By this time they were close enough to the surface that all wildlife had fallen back, retreated, but the youngling knew he still had a long distance to go. He wondered how exactly the sparkling had gotten so far down, and almost tenderly, he looked down.

The sparkling had once again slipped into a peaceful recharge, unbothered by the bats. The youngling had so well protected him that the only bites were from earlier, and even these were almost healed. The sparkling let out a soft humming noise, and the youngling listened, entranced. Then, he started walking again. He would not get closer to the surface just by wishing.

The youngling, by the time he had gotten near the surface, was sure he would collapse. The sparkling was just too heavy. But he couldn't stop, footsteps echoed around him, chasing him on. His fatigued fogged CPU didn't realize that he could hand the sparkling to the adults, no, he was determined to finish this.

He was unaware of the soft, quiet footsteps behind him, as he shakily started back on his way. Nor was he aware that he had burst a minor tube, causing energon to splash and cover himself and the recharging sparkling.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Prime stopped at the odd tracks, confused at what he was seeing. According to how the energon fell, a bot had walked by, bleeding. But, this was too much for a sparkling. If it was the sparkling he was looking for, the sparkling would of shut down from exhaustion and energon loss. Prime studied the energon tracks for a few more moments, and then began moving after whoever was hurt. Even if he wasn't the sparkling, they might know where to find the sparkling.

He followed the energon trail, watching as it grew fresher and fresher, until he was sure he was right behind whoever it was. He rounded the corner, and saw the staggering form of a youngling. Confusion flashed in his optics, and he moved foreword. Quietly he placed a hand on the younglings shoulder. Wrong move. The youngling let off a screech that nearly made Prime's spark stop pulsing for a few moments.

Seeming to take advantage of the surprise, the youngling dashed off in a spray of mud.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The youngling was scared out of its CPU. He was not expecting the hand to descend, nor the uncannily silent mech that had snuck up on him. He turned hard to the left, hiding. He listened carefully as the mech came up through the tunnels, and nearly sobbed in frustration as the mech stopped. Then, he spoke in a voice that the youngling instantly recognized. "Come on out. I will not do you any harm."

_Prime._ It echoed in the youngling's CPU, Silently he stepped out from around the corner, holding the sparkling close. It woke up, and began chirruping softly; it's tiny hands waving out. The youngling kept a hold of the squirming bundle as he faced Prime squarely in the optics.

To say that Prime was surprised would be an understatement. It had been a long time since he had looked a youngling or even adult mech without instant respect and trust. However, the youngling's optics was guarded, and his harsh breathing that had tipped off Prime was quickly slowing down. The youngling still seemed about ready to run. Various bite marks showed that he had had a run in with the particularly vicious bats on the lower level.

Prime's gaze switched to the sparkling. It burbled happily, small hands flailing about, miraculously missing the younglings face. It was absolutely filthy, and there were some nibble marks. Prime mutely held out his arms, and reluctantly the youngling passed over his bundle. The sparkling instantly began wailing, arms stretched out to it's temporary protector. Prime shook his head and handed it back.

The youngling looked floored by this unexpected development, but his arms held the sparkling close, and tired optics glanced into Primes own. "Come along." Prime said softly, his voice echoing eerily into the sewers, "I'll take you both to his creators. Then a doctor can look you over."

The youngling said nothing, but he followed Prime, moving as silently as a ghost. The only way that Prime knew he was there was the fact that he could see him, and could hear the sparkling clicking happily.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Volunteers stopped what they were doing as Prime emerged from the sewers, followed by what looked like a walking mud pile. Several noses wrinkled, but they all rushed foreword as they recognized a sparklings happy clicks.

The sparklings' parents rushed foreword, sweeping the tiny bot out of the younglings hands. The youngling backed up, and would of escaped had not Prime stepped in his way. The youngling looked up, and Prime could see the frantic need to get away. He knelt and said softly, "You did well. You saved a sparkling even though you didn't know who it was."

The youngling was silent, and glanced over his shoulder to where the creators held the sparkling. Prime carefully kept one optic on him to make sure he didn't try to disappear, even though the youngling tried several times. The creators of the sparkling moved up to Prime, and the femme said softly, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"I did nothing. I found the youngling moving along with the sparkling already heading towards the surface." Prime gestured to the youngling who shifted nervously from foot to foot from all of the unexpected attention.

"Thank you very much." The femme said softly. "How can we ever repay you?"

The youngling nearly tripped over his own feet, backing up and shaking his head furiously. His hands were behind his back, and Prime smiled. "I think, that we should get him to a doctor to get these wounds cleaned. I believe Ratchet should be more then willing to do so."

The youngling bolted at that, streaking off down the streets at a speed that none could hope to match. He dove for the nearest sewer, and vanished into the blackness. The creator's looked after with troubled eyes. "We hardly got a chance to thank him properly!" the father protested, gently cleaning off the sparkling. To Prime's surprise he didn't instantly throw away the muck.

Prime didn't say anything about that, instead he said, "Just wait until tonight. Who knows, maybe he'll pay one last visit to the sparkling."

"If we see him, do we surprise him?" The femme asked dubiously. She obviously did not like the idea of allowing any mech into her sparkling's room.

Prime shook his head. "No, leave him be."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Darkness wrapped her wings around the city, her glittering dress of stars slowly appearing. It was all silent as none disturbed the streets. Except for one youngling. During the short wait until darkness, he had attempted to clean himself off, and do basic first aid. He had gotten himself clean, but the first aid had failed terribly. He was still bleeding energon sluggishly.

He glanced around as he carefully slipped up to the window. It was closed, and it made the youngling relax a little. If they had been expecting him, it would have been open. He stood on tiptoe to peer through the window. The sparkling inside slept on peacefully. The youngling nodded to himself, and began moving once more into the city.

A soft cry attracted his attention. He looked back and saw the sparkling moving inside the cradle, and the youngling paused, looking. Then slowly he waved goodbye, and vanished onto the streets of the city. He wasn't aware of his soft footed pursuer.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ratchet regarded the youngling moving before him. It was a surprise that he was even still online from how much energon he had lost. He grumbled inwardly that he had been asked to do this, but as he looked at the youngling, he shook his head. "Hey, you!"

The youngling stiffened, and turned slowly. Ratchet scowled, and before the youngling could protest, swept him off his feet. "You're badly hurt. C'mon, it's just a few more buildings until we get to where I'm staying. I'll fix you up."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ratchet leaned backwards, nodding in contentment. The youngling sat before him, fixed as good as new. He chuckled as he let the youngling out. As the youngling gratefully escaped into the darkness, Ratchet called after, "Next time youngling, allow someone the chance to thank you."

0o0o0o0o0o0

The youngling sighed gratefully as he entered into his own home. His creator's slept peacefully in a room nearby, used to their child's wanderings. He moved into his own room, accidentally tripping over a box. His mother's voice rose. "Red Alert, are you back?"

Red Alert kept silent. His mother seemed to shrug, and she said, "Well, I'm glad your back home." Still Red Alert said nothing, as quietly he slipped into his own room.

He forgot about the tiny sparkling in three vorns, until at last he could no longer even remember Prime. It wouldn't be until much, much later that he would once again meet the one he had rescued. They didn't recognize each other, yet, as Inferno sat down, he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of familiarity.

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This is a one short, created to see how long I could go without having to put in talking. No flames please. I can't handle them. I'll melt. XD Anyways, this is just a small little thing that refused to leave.


End file.
